Weight indicating device



May 24, 1938. v. D. HANES WEIGHT INDIGATING DEVICE Filed Apfil is, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I INI ENTOR. 2- 5 1 V X A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 24,

. UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE This invention relates to an apparatus for indicating the various loads encoun ered. when using a cable hoisting device, part cularly. the

hoisting devices used in drilling oil wells.

The usual method of drilling oil wells is to place a derrick and bore into the earth below said derrick. One of the most necessary parts of the equipment used in drilling a well-is a-cable hoisting device. This hoisting device is used to handle all the tools, pipe and etc., in drilling the well. The hoisting device consists of a length of cable with one end of said cable attached and wound on a reel. Said reel is adapted to wind and unwind said cable. The free part of said cable forming a block. and tackle hoisting arra'ngement with the top of thederrick supporting said tackle with the free end of said cable passing over its sheave at the top of the derrick and down to and attached at the base of said derrick. Said end ofsaid cable being fixed and.

having no movement as the loads on the hoisting device are lifted or lowered. Said end of said cable being known in the oil fields as the deadline. This deadline will be stressed as loads are applied by the hoisting-device and this stress will vary directly with the load applied.

An object of the present invention is to provide and disclose an apparatus that will indicate the total load placed upon the derrick through use provide an apparatus capable .of being attached.

to the deadlinebf a hoisting .device adapted to indicate the weights suspended by said hoisting device.

Another object is to provide an eflicient apparatus for indicating the weights suspended on a cable hoisting device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an emcient apparatus for indicating the tension on a cable. j

Another object of the present invention is to provide and disclose an apparatus that is simple,

accurate and eflicient adapted to indicate the weights suspended on a cable hoisting device.

' A still further object of the present invention is to disclose and provide a ,device-of simple and eflicient construction for indicating'weights capable of beingv attached to acable of ahoisting device. I A still further object of the invention is to provide and disclose an apparatus for indicating the weightssuspended from the hoisting device of anioil well drilling rig. 1 v

A still further object is -to' provide an apparatus for automatically indicating the weights suspended by a cable hoisting device; v

These and other objects,.use's and advantages of this invention. will become apparent'to'those skilled irithe art from the following detailed description of'one preferred embodiment of this invention and its manner of operation, it beingunderstood that the invention is not limited to the device. specifically described hereinafter as 'those skilled in the art will readily observe that;

numerous changes and modifications and further. simplifications could be made in the device. Fig. 1 is a. longitudinal section, taken along the ,plane .|--I indicated; in Fig.2, of the weight n dicating device connected to a cable. I

Fig.2 is a section taken along the plane 2 -2 indicated in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly in section of the cable deflecting head of the device. Fig. 4 is anenlarged view of one of the cable receiving arms of the-"device. 4

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of another type ofcable arm for the device.

Fig. 6 is "an enlarged section taken along the I plane 6-.6 indicated in Fi 1. a

.Fig. 7 isa front elevation of the dial and indicating pointer of the device.

provided with the-cable arm lugs 66. The cable arms 4 are attached to the lugs 66 by means of screw studs 38 and nuts I. 'The deadline cable 2 of the hoisting device is run through the-arms v 4 along the sheaves 39 thereof and over the A still further object is to disclose and pro-,

sheave .40 of the deflecting head 3., Said deflecting head 3 being between said arms t and said head adapted to deflect said cable between said Said head 3 isprovided with the sheave 40 and said head 3 is' attached tothe deflecting arms.

rod 8. Said housing'l is provided with the guides 9 and 33, the guide 9 being in the closure plate of the housing, -in the form shown, while the guide 33 is formed on the inner side of the front wall, and said deflecting rod 8 is slidably mounted in said guides 9 and 33 and through the closure plate. Said guide 33 is provided with the screw 20 threaded therethrough and the screw is reducedto' provide what may be termed va guide pin 49. The rod 8 is provided with a slot [9 to receive said pin to prevent the rod 8 from rotating in the guides 9 and 33. Said Q guide 33 is provided with a relief or vent hole 50.

The rod 8 is provided with a-bearing. rod l8 andfsaid rod 8 is connected to the spring pull levers H and I2 by means of the bearing rod l8, connecting links 11 and bearing rod l6 which together with the rod l8 may be of the antishaft 14 that is rotatably mounted in the lower .post 34. The lever I2 is connected tothe upper spring Ill by means of a spring bearing hook similar to thehook 13. The levers II and I2 are'providedwith the lugs to prevent the spring hooks l3 from slipping oil? the same. The springs III are attached to the frontwall of the housing I by means of the substantially U-shaped brackets 2| and screws 55. Adjustment blocks 22 may be disposed between the: wall and the arms of the U-shaped members, it being obvious that i the blocks are used in sets of difierentsizes for that purpose,'and which will be later described.

The bearing shaft M of. the lever arm H extends through the post 34 and is rotatably mount ed therein. The gear arm'or segment 23 isat- (stress in the cable 2 will cause the deflecting rod. '3 to move into the housing l due tovthe cable 2 being deflected between the "arms 4 by means of front wall, as shown in Figure 1.

tached to the freeend of the bearing shaft l4 and is meshed with the gear 24. The gear 24is attached to one end of the shaft 41 and the shaft 41 is rotatably mounted in the bearing sup-' ported in the housing I. The bevel gear 25 is attached to the opposite end of the shaft 41 and is meshed with the bevel gear 21. The bevel ear 21 is attached to one end of the shaft 23 and the shaft 28 is rotatably mounted in and through the bearing opening 56 provided in the The pointer 29 is attachedto the opposite or outer end of the shaft 23.

, The dial case 32 is attached to the outside of the front wall and encloses the dial- 30 by means of the transparent cover plate 3|: The dial 30 'is'attached to the back of the case '32 and said pointer cooperates with the graduations of the' dial to indicate the load ona cable I hoisting device or ,the tension on a cable.

In the operation of my invention the appa-J ratus is assembled as shown in; the Figs-l and 2 and attached to the deadline cable 2 of the hoist ing device. A load on the hook 'of the hoisting device will cause a stress in the cable 2 and the the deflecting head 3. I

-/ The movement of the deflecting rod 8, by means 'of the bearing rod l8, connecting-link l1 and the bearing rod l6,-pulls theends of the levers ll and |2. The levers n and I2 rotatingonfifieir cables used with the hoisting devicei to be so made that they can .be removed and bearings l4 and I5 pull the tension pull springs l0. Said springs 10 are stressed or pulled until they balance the force applied to the rod 8 due to the deflection of the cable 2 and the load on said cable 2.

The movement of the lever I I rotates the hearing shaft l4 in the lower post 34. Said movement of the bearing shaft l4 rocks or moves the gear arm or segment 23. The gear arm 23' is meshed with the gear 24 and the movement of the gear arm 23 rotates thegear 24 and'the shaft 41. The bevel gear 25 is attached to the opposite end of the shaft 41 and the bevel gear .25 is meshed with the bevel gear 21. The movement of the bevel gear 25 rotates the bevel gear 21. The bevel gear 21 is attached to one end of the shaft 23 and the pointer 29 is attached to the opposite end of the shaft 28. The movement of the bevel gear 21 rotates the shaft 28 and moves the pointer 29 of the indicator, shown in Figures 1 and 7 in relation to the dial 30. The dial 30 thereof is provided with the division lines or graduations and these divisions are spaced so that the pointer will indicate the weight on the cable hoisting device to which this invention is attached.

A cable hoisting device 'may have any number of cables or cables of any size or diameter supporting the load lifted thereby, and it is necessary that some meansbe provided for adjusting thisweight indicating device for any number and size oi cables used. The amount of force applied to the deflecting rod 8 due to the load-on the cable 2 varies with the angle of deflection in the cable 2. The force on the deflecting rod 8 will increase as the angle in the cable 2 between the arms 4 and the deflecting head 3 is increased for with the number and size of cables used. By using adjustment blocks in, the manner set forth the same weight indicating dial, with the same divisions can be used to accurately indicate the weight of the load regardless of the number and that itis necessary. to replace the adjustment blocks with blocks of-the correct thickness each time the number and. size of cables'in the hoisting device is changed. I

- Another method of adjusting the weight indivariously calibrated for th indicator so that a separate dial having the proper calibrations thereon is provided for each number and size of Said dials replaced with respect to the dial case in any well known manner. By using a separate dial for [each number and size of cables used in the hoisting device it"is not necessary to change the deflection angle of the cable between the arms 0! the device by use of the blocks. By this method of adjustmentit will be'necessary to change the dial each time the number or size of cables .in

the hoisting device is changed". The dial plate may be so made that each side of the dial plate will have indicatingdivisions. One side of the dialplate beingfor a certain g ivennumber or size of cables used. It isof course understood cating device is to provide nterchangeable dials I 2,118,727 size of cables in the hoisting device and the other" 22 of the required thickness. While I have illustrated U-shaped' members, 2|, and adjusting blocks 22 for the purpose referred to, any other suitable and well. known means may be employed therefor.

. A sectional view ofthe deflecting head '3 is shown in the Fig. 3. The sheave 40 is adapted to take the cable 2 and said sheave 40 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 4|. Said shaft 4| is'attached to the frame of the deflecting head 3. Said deflecting head 3 is attached to the rod 8 by means of the screw stud 42,

Fig. 4 shows one type of'thecable arms used with the invention. This part of the device is shownas cable arms 4 in Fig. 1. Said cablearms 4 are provided with a rotatable sheave .39. Said sheave 39 being mounted in the frame of said cablearm 4 by means of the'bearing shaft 43 and said sheave 39 is adapted to take the cable 2. Said cable arms 4 being provided with the closure members 44 adapted to keep the cable. 2 within said arms 4. The screw shanks 38 of the arms 4 are provided to attach the arms to the lugs 46.

Fig. 5jshows another type of cable arm that might be used with the device. The hook 45 is adapted to fit the cable 2 and the screw shank 38 is provided to ed to clamp the cable into a fixed position in relation to thehousing. The adjustment plate 52 is provided to adjust the position of cable 2 in rela-- tion to the deflecting head 3. The U-bolt 5| is provided with the threaded portions 54 and the cable 2 is attached to the weight indicating device by means of said U-bolt 5|, the lug 46 and I ..the nuts 53. This clamping arrangement can be used in place of one of the arms 4 but cannot be used to replace both of the farms.

The housing is provided with apertured cars *55', as shown in .Figure 2, to receive suitable securing means to attach the device to some fixed I object with the indicator positioned in relation to the operator of the hoisting apparatus so that it can be readily read by the operator. Howbest shown in Figure 1, that the slidably mounted cable receiving means extends from the hous-g ever, the weight indicating device may 'be attached to the cable, as shown in Figure-1,: and

for that purpose I provide a clamp'5 to be secured to the cable and an ear 31 formed on the;

upperlug 46, with a chain-36 having-its ends-secured to the clamp and ear 31.

It will be noted in theform of the device as ing between the stationary cable receiving means,-

with a pair of spring actuated levers connected to'therod thereof, butf want it understood that only one spring actuated lever may be'employed, and any one of the cablereceiving meansmay.

attach the cable hook 45 to the be slidablyv mountedand connected to the one lever fort-the purpose set forth.

While the particular apparatus herein described is well adapted to carry out the objects of the present invention, various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the principles of the invention. This invention includes all such modifications and changes as come within the scope of the appended claims.

,ably mounted in the housing and havingone end extending therethrough, bearing posts fixed in said housing and having bifurcated free ends, levers having one of their end portions pivoted in the bifurcated free ends and linked to the'rod, adjustably mounted spring means connected to the opposite ends of the levers 'for urging the rod in one direction, a shaft providlngthe pivot of one lever and journaled in the post of the latter, a gear segment fixed to the shaft, means mounted on the housing and outer end ofthe rod for receiving the cable and for normally deflecting the latter so that the cable applies axial pressure on the rod upon it being subjected to tension for moving the rod in an opposite direction, indicating means on the housing, and con necting means between the segment and the in-- dicating means for actuating the latter when for the housing, a rod slidably mounted in the housing and having one end extending through the closure, superimposed offset posts fixed in said housing and having bifurcated free ends, 1evers having one-of their end portions pivoted in the bifurcatedfree ends, and linked to the rod,

adjustable mounted spring means connected to the opposite ends of the levers, for urging the rod in one direction, a shaft providing the pivot of one lever and journaled in the post of the latter, a gear segment fixed to the shaft, spaced cable receivingmeans adjustably mounted on the housing, cable receiving means disposed between the first receiving means and fixed to'the outer end of the rod, the cable having running engagement with at least one of the first receiving means and the second receiving means for normally defiecting the cable between the first receiving means to apply axial pressure to said rod on being. subiected to tension, for moving the rod in an 011- posite direction, indicating means on'the'housing and connecting means between the segment and the indicating means for actuating the latter when movement is imparted to the rod.

' 3.- A weight indlcatingdevice for a cable hoist-- ing apparatus, comprising a housing, a closure for the housing, a rodslidably mounted in the housing and having one'end extending through the closure, superimposed offset bearing posts fixed in said housing and havingbifurcated free ends, levers having one of their end portions pivoted in the bifurcated free ends, linked anti- 'friction means connecting the levers to the rod, substantially U-shaped members adjustably mounted in the housing, 'spring means connected to the substantially U-shaped members and the opposite end of the levers for urging the rod in one direction, a shaft providing the pivot of one lever and journaled in'the' post of the latter,a gear segment fixed to the shaft, cable receiving means mounted on the housingv and on the outer so that the latter applies'axial pressure on the rod upon the cable being subjected to tension for movmg the rod in an, opposite direction, indicating means on the housing, and connecting means between the segment and indicating means for actuating the. latter when movement is imparted to the rod. t

4. A weight indicating device for a cable hcisting apparatus, comprising a housing, a closure for the housing, opposed guide means mountedon a wall of the housing and the closure respectively, a rod slidabiy mounted in the guide means and having one end extending through the closure, superimposed oflset bearing posts fixed to the guide means on the wall and 'having bifurcated free ends, levers having one of their end portions pivoted in the free: ends and linked to the rod, substantially U-shapedtmembers adjustably mounted on the wall, spring means connected to the substantially U-shaped members and the opposite end of the levers for urging the rod in one direction, a shaft providing the pivot of one lever and Journaled in the post of the latter, a gear segment fixed to the shaft, sheave carrying means mounted on the housing and outer end of the rod respectively, for'receiving the cable and for normally deflecting thelatter so that the cable applies axial pressure on the rod upon it being subjected to tension for moving the rod in an opposite direction, indicating means on the housing, and connec ing means between the segment and the indica ing means for actuating the latter when movement is imparted tothe rod; a

5. A weight indicating device for load carrying cables comprising a rod mounted for slida'ble movement, bifurcated flxed bearingmeans, le-

ver means journaled between the bifurcated cable is under tension, indicating means including a removable dial, and means of connection between the rod arid the indicating means for actuatingthe latter when movement is imparted to the rod. 3

6. A weight indicating device for load carrying cables, comprising a housing, a rod slidably mounted in the housing and having one end extending therethrough, bearing means in said housing, lever 'means mounted in the bearingmeans and linked to the rod, adjustably mounted spring means connected to the lever means forurging the rod in one direction, adjustably 4 the rod.

9,118,797 end of the rod for normally deflecting the cable.

mounted cable receiving means secured to the housing and extending outwardly therefrom, ca-

blereceiving means carried by the extending end of the rod and arranged with respect to the portions pivoted in the bifurcated free ends and linked to the rod, adjustably mounted spring means connected to the opposite .ends of the lemovement, fixed bearing posts and having bifurcated free'ends, levers having one .of theirend vers for urging the rod in one direction, a shaft receiving means,,cable receiving means carried cooperation therewith for normally deflecting the cable to cause the latter to move the rod in an opposite direction when the cable is under tension, indicating means, and means of con-- nection between the shaft and the indicating means for actuating the latter when movement is imparted to the rod.

8. A weight indicating device for a cable hoisting apparatus, comprising a housing, guide means mounted in the housing, a rod slidably mounted in the guide means and havingone end extending through the housing, onset-bearing 'meansmounted in the' housing, levers having one .of .their end portions pivoted in the bearing 2' by the rod and arranged with respect to the adjust'ably mounted cable' receiving means and for means and linked to the rod, bracket means mounted in-the housing, spring means connected to the bracket means and the opposite ends of the levers for urging the'rod in one direction, a shaft providing the pivot of one lever and journaled in the bearing means of the latter, a 'gear segment fixed to the shaft, cable receiving means mounted on the housing, sheave means mounted on the extending end of the rod and cooperating with said cable receiving means for deflecting the cable sothat, the cable applies axial pressure on the rod upon the Icablebeing subjected to tension for movement of the rod in an opp,osite direction, indicating means mounted on the housing, and geared connecting means between the segment and the indicating means for actuating the latterwhen movement is imparted to VAUGHAN n. HANESLI 

